UPPER DEERFIELD TWP. — The Upper Deerfield Township Committee took action on managing finances, records and the Seabrook Water Treatment Facility at its meeting on Thursday evening.

The committee unanimously adopted an ordinance authorizing the allocation of an estimated $70,000, from $107,143.43 carried over in the reserve, for improvements to the municipal building, public works and the township court room. The committee also adopted an ordinance amending the township’s personnel policy and procedure manual, a measure that should bring the guide up to current and consistent standards for some time, according to Mayor Jim Crilley.

An ordinance pertaining to the codification and revision of the township’s ordinances, the culmination of over two years of work, was discussed and introduced. Solicitor Ted Baker, Esq. explained that the new codification will be clearer and easier to handle and read. Online access to the codification will be available through the Upper Deerfield Township website with quarterly updates of new ordinances. Further action regarding this ordinance will occur on April 7.

The committee passed a resolution authorizing the release of executive session minutes with redactions, a resolution authorizing awarding a contract for township physicals to RSP Medical LLC and a resolution authorizing a professional service agreement with Louis C. Joyce IV for planning services, regarding the township pursuing an additional, independent review of Redevelopment Plan regulations.

A resolution was passed for the township to make an application to the local finance board regarding temporary bonds for final closing with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), as required for the Seabrook Water Treatment Facility project. An additional water system-related resolution was passed, determining the form and details of a $2,299,000 general obligation bond of the township.

A change order on the construction of the new Seabrook Water Treatment Facility was approved by a resolution that Brian Murphy, township engineer, said will allow the township to add control lines to complete the system in a timely manner. Murphy explained that the facility will have two buildings, one for radionuclide removal and one for office and laboratory work, and this resolution will facilitate control of both facilities from one source.

During committee reports, Murphy said state well testing will be conducted on Monday and that inspection of the water tower showed good overall quality, although to dated standards. An extension of 30 days from the previously anticipated facility open date of March 28 was requested, largely due to anticipated wait time for test results.

John T. O’Neill suggested the committee consider reviewing its parameters regarding soil studies on development properties. Mayor Crilley also clarified that the open space committee will be a subcommittee of the environmental commission, and the shade tree committee will be a subcommittee of the planning board.

The committee stood in agreement with a letter from Senate President Stephen Sweeney, Assembly Deputy Speaker John Riley and Assemblywoman Celeste Riley requesting the municipality’s support of bill A3603, excluding appropriations to reserve for uncollected taxes in excess of two percent from calculations of municipal adjusted tax levy.

Discussion of the township’s budget revealed that next year, the township’s lost funds from tax abatements in addition to state aid losses could put the township in a position to account for nearly 40 percent of its revenue missing. The committee had requested that the finance committee try to maintain no increase of local purpose tax for one more year but emphasized that committee members are preparing this year’s figures with at least three years of future budgeting in mind.

The Concerned Citizens Group of Upper Deerfield will hold a special meeting at the Upper Deerfield Municipal Building on March 9, and the next meeting of the Upper Deerfield Township Committee will be on March 17.